3 B.M.B – 7 A.H.

Years ago, in a city far, far away, at a hotel that no longer exists (that had $19 sun-thurs room rates), I had dinner with a little korean gal. We could only have dinner there, because after a few run-ins around her age (19-ish) we had an old security guard follow us through the hotel…very personal service.? Too bad it got blown up and replaced by the Mandalay Bay.

At dinner, she chose the prime rib. We were in the middle of a casual conversation, when her face bunched up. She was barely able to utter the words – “My brain is burning.”? Horseradish had struck hard.

Last night, we used the coupons that come in the mail for the Black Angus. The Black Angus is where we went to lunch in Indiana one afternoon in 1999, before the Cowboys played the Colts. It is the only NFL game we’ve been too – and it was great. Both teams were 4-2 going into it. I love both teams. We had good seats. Saw a blocked punt. Saw Deion return a punt. It was noisy. It was a blur.

But the day before, after lunch at Stuart Anderson’s (in the midwest it isn’t called the Black Angus for some reason) we walked around the strip mall casually. Wandered into a jewelry store. Asked the lady if she could show us a few types of rings. I was nervous. The saleslady wasn’t. She was pretty cool. Very cool.

I had spent the last couple of weeks with her picking out a ring. The day before, I had finalized the order. She suggested that I bring Catherine by just to double check that we got the right ring. She’d pretend she didn’t know me. She did a good job. I didn’t think I could. I just stood in the corner. I think maybe Catherine thought I wasn’t that interested. I was too interested.

Saleslady showed Catherine a bunch of rings. Catherine asked a bunch of questions. Similarities between the ring they were looking at and the ring I had picked were accented by the saleslady. Differences were highlighted as well – “If only it was more symmetrical” or “if only if it was all platinum”…when we left, Catherine said that she liked the saleslady but didn’t like her at the same time. Explain?? “She was very helpful and seemed to know what I wanted to see, but just couldn’t show it to me.” Perfect.

I got the ring in the mail (no sales tax!) when I was working at Excite. I think it was my4th day on the job or so. I didn’t want to lose the ring so instead of some crazy proposal, we just went out to dinner at the Black Angus and after she ordered, I offered her the ring. She was a little surprised, since I was supposed to go ask her parents for permission in person, during the holidays, but I had phoned the permission question in earlier and her parents were willing to keep it a secret.

She didn’t eat her dinner. Too excited. Lost her appetite. We were very happy. Except for the fact that she upgraded her salad to the ceasar’s salad for an extra dollar and didn’t touch it.

So last night, the eve of our 5th anniversary, we were back at the Black Angus, saving $10 on the 2 person prime rib dinner. First bite into it, her face drops. A bit of drool escaped. Eyes went screwy. Horseradish strikes again.

I’m glad some things never change.

Happy Anniversary Catherine.